Google has just announced that it’s joining forces with Audi, GM, Honda, Hyundai and Nvidia to create the Open Automotive Alliance. In other words, it’s planning to take Android to the automobile.
Looks like the race to connected cars is truly on with Apple looking to fill this space.
And if brand is anything to go by, Apple is already linked with Ferrari.
Twitter user @evleaks has revealed there are 3 different sizes to the Pro range from Samsung –
Samsung Galaxy NotePRO 12.2-inch, Galaxy TabPRO 12.2-, 10.1, and 8.4-inch. The specifications are –
Galaxy NotePRO 12.2-inch with S-Pen
-Wi-Fi/3G: Exynos 5 Octa (1.9GHz x 4 + 1.3GHz x 4)
LTE : Snapdragon 800 2.3GHz x 4
-WQXGA
-8MP / 2MP
-3GB RAM / 32GB/64GB storage
-9500mAh
-KitKat
Galaxy TabPRO 12.2-inch
-Wi-Fi/3G: Exynos 5 Octa (1.9GHz x 4 + 1.3GHz x 4)
LTE : Snapdragon 800 2.3GHz x 4
-WQXGA
-8MP / 2MP
-3GB RAM / 32GB/64GB storage
-9500mAh
-KitKat
Galaxy TabPRO 10.1-inch
-Wi-Fi/3G: Exynos 5 Octa (1.9GHz x 4 + 1.3GHz x 4)
LTE : Snapdragon 800 2.3GHz x 4
-WQXGA
-8MP / 2MP
-2GB RAM / 16GB/32GB storage
-8220mAh
-KitKat
Galaxy TabPRO 8.4-inch
-Snapdragon 800 2.3GHz x 4
-WQXGA
-8MP / 2MP
-2GB RAM / 16GB/32GB storage
-4800mAh
-KitKat
Whilst the hardware looks good, the included software is what will make these even more interesting.
Apple has released its environmental report for its new Mac Pro which details large savings on power and raw materials. The new device also earns a gold rating from the EPEAT.
The new Mac Pro uses 68% less power than the previous generation Mac Pro when at idle. It also uses less materials over all, which isn’t too surprising given that it’s a lot smaller. The new Mac Pro uses 74% less aluminum than the previous version and the packaging consumes 82% less volume and weighs 84% less than the older version. Apple says that this lets 3x more units fit in one airline shipping container.
So be environmentally friendly and buy the new Mac Pro. You might need a huge bank loan in the process as well!
And in case you want to see one in person, Apple has commented that demand for these powerhouses are so great that demo models won’t appear in physical Apple stores until around March 2014.
Before you think to yourself, “I don’t remember reading day 4 and 5” you would be correct as I skipped 2 days.
I thought I would leave a few more days to see how things have progressed. Sadly, I’ve giving up on the Note 3 and I am back with the iPhone 5S. No that’s not true and I know some of still believe I will fall back to the iPhone 5S.
Using the Note 3 now is becoming a pleasure and not a frustration. I am still waiting for Google to update their Play Music app so I can stream my tunes and for for the official twitter app to allow me to receive notifications. Update. I fixed this. See separate post. Apparently twitter need to clear my cache but there support service is dreadfully slow.
Samsung’s WatchOn app remote control now operates my TV and DVD player properly and has a shortcut widget on the lock and home screen which is very handy.
And to reset or switch off and back on I have to untick allow scanning in the advanced wifi settings to avoid a reboot loop. Apart from that it’s faultless.
In the meantime, I am using Robird for twitter, a pleasurable experience, and for low light shots A Better Camera App that allows the Note 3 to take great low light photos providing their is no movement and you are using a tripod or similar. In fact, this app using the Hi-Res Night mode can produce some crazy good quality shots.
I have started to tweak everything a little bit more and I am finding everything just works a treat now. It was a painful beginning but it is starting to provide dividends.
Even the free music offer which at first didn’t work, just did yesterday when I tried again. Human error probably but it wasn’t as obvious as I would have thought. I also found a free game Monster University for Note 3 users available on the Samsung Games stores. I also have a different view of the Samsung Hub. Whilst it is not perfect, it does cover all aspects of media and is definitely Samsung’s next strike to remove itself from Google’s services in the future.
With the Note 3, Samsung included a wealth of extra software and third party software services which makes this whole proposition really hard to refuse.
I have activated Find My Phone and Sim Activation Lock. Scrapbook which I thought was a gimmick is actually wonderful to use. It provides a fluid way to clip and record properly items of interest.
Screen and battery life and amazing. I have nearly every option turned on from air gestures, to motion and smart options. The small on screen floating apps are useful although not many of them. Handy for the calculator and whatsapp. Using Flipboard, My Magazine, Business Week and other news type apps is a joy due to the large screen. I never really bothered with Flipboard on the iPhone but it is lovely to view on the Note 3.
I have now added gestures with Nova Launcher so double type, and one or two finger swiping up and down launches specific apps, saving time.
There is no away I can see myself drifting back to an iPhone despite all its positives. The Note 3 is leagues ahead in many ways and the honeymoon period is just improving.
The DJI Phantom Vision has to be the coolest piece of technology I’ve seen in a while.
It’s a remote flying camera with great specifications –
– Lightweight, multi-functional integrated aircraft and camera
– Camera remote-control by DJI VISION App on android and iOS
– Range Extender increases Wi-Fi distance to 300m
– Anti-vibration camera platform with single axis stabilisation
– Low-voltage protection
– Virtual Radar aircraft locator on mobile device
– Range of camera tilt options
– Multiple, continuous and timed capture options
– HD Video Recording (1080/p30 or 1080/60i)
– RAW and JPEG picture formats
If you are in the UK you can buy this for £832, so if ever I needed a reason to keep the Samsung Note 3 and sell the iPhone 5S here is one.
At the weekend I connected a usb dac and amp to the Note 3. When I made the connection it triggered the emergency assistance function on the Note 3.
This function sends a MMS message to whoever you setup in the settings. The message includes your GPS location and a Google Map link. In addition the front and rear cameras take a simultaneous photo and off everything goes. Well, you can imagine my surprise when one of my emergency contacts calls me and tells me I need a shave and could they have one of the chocolate biscuits on the table.
I realised that every time I connected the usb dac the same thing happened. So I turned off that option and no more emergency messages.
That got me thinking about my current issue with Google Play Music, whereby it kept going silent after one or two songs but was still playing , and only fixed by pausing then pressing play. I wondered if the emergency assistance feature was clashing and low and behold it was. With emergency assistance off, Google Play Music works just fine.
I will be receiving the Nokia Lumia 1520 any day now and intend to take it through it paces.
I must admit I am excited about this piece of hardware. It’s a 6 inch IPS screened Phablet running the latest Windows Phone and Nokia Black software, micro sd card expansion, LTE enabled, Bluetooth v4 with A2DP, 20mp Carl Zeiss camera optics including optical image stabilisation, FM radio, Quad Core Snapdragon 800 processor, Adreno 330 GPU, wireless charging integration, and much much more.
If you have any questions regarding this phone please let me know.
If you are looking to buy one of these sim free, head over to Clove Technology today.
Update. It’s arrived.
Just a quick post showing the Note 3 and Lumia 1520 at full brightness side by side. The Lumia 1520 with its IPS Clear Black display looks so good IMO.
You can even see how much larger the Lumia 1520 profile is with its 6 inch display over the Note 3 size.
Both phones available from Clove Technology .
With CES 2014 just about to start the amount of new gadgets and phones will be in overload mode. I will try to create a daily consolidated post providing very brief summaries of the days highlights.
So are you looking forward to anything in particular at this years CES?
ZTE will have a strong presence at CES 2014 and is looking to refresh its smartphone lineup with the Grand S II, Nubia 5S, Nubia 5S Mini, Sonata 4G and Iconic Phablet.
The Grand S II and Nubia 5S will be updates of previous models with new internals and designs. The Sonata 4G is a mid-range offering launching in conjunction with prepaid carrier Aio Wireless, along the 5.7-inch Iconic Phablet as well.
ZTE is planning to show a line of non-phone hardware, including hotspots, a smartwatch called the BlueWatch and smart home phone hardware called the Wireless Home Base.
More at ZTE Businesswire.
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